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Dance of Democracy…Expectations From First Timers

The old order changeth yielding place to the new.
Resurgent India has voted 346 “freshers” to the 16th Lok Sabha reposing faith in them to transform India totally. This in itself is a first in the last four decades…
I’m not counting the first three elections that were fought in the euphoria of the independence struggle.

As a commoner, who wants to see India on an unhindered path of progress I want my elected representatives to focus
on two things: restore the dignity of our parliamentary proceedings and to show to the world that politics is definitely not the last resort of scoundrels. It is a glorious career in the service of the nation and one has to be selflessly
selfish to become a career politician.

Politics, in my mind has always been a career option that requires as much sweat, blood & tears as any other career
one pursues. That it became a corrupt and convoluted machinery for people to make money does not reflect on politics itself. It reflects on the kind of people we elect to the temple of democracy.

To all the newcomers who have climbed the stairs to our Parliament, please understand & keep in mind what India wants from you. The Parliament is our temple of democracy. What happens in
that temple should be sacro sanct and the behavior of people managing that temple must be dignified, participative and democratic. With the media exploring and exposing everything that happens, our young politicians will do well to remember that they are in a glass
house. Hence, every action they take in the process of nation building will be watched by every Indian who has elected them. The Prime Minister has been consistently talking about building
skills at a faster speed to improve our growth trajectory. The Parliament
offers the newcomers a fantastic opportunity to hone their skills
as politicians. However, this is not to be done at the cost of the nation!

Will Rogers said, “Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.” This happened because we did not have a decisive leadership. Today, we have voted
for a decisive leadership. 31% vote share has been won by BJP and the millennials have reposed their faith by electing all the first timers. The youth will expect a lot from their MPs.

In my interaction with youth in the last 6 months, where we aimed at creating awareness of voting rights in the nation building process, I was truly surprised to see that the youth wants to participate in grass root politics. Unfortunately, they do not know how! As politicians you can set the example for the future generations. Your power will come from your performance. This will happen only when you constantly remember that the power you carry as political leaders
comes through you and not from you. Only then the field of politicswill be viewed as a great career option by the youth.

To conclude, I will say please remain connected with your people in your constituencies…they are the pulse and the feedback you get from people who have elected you is the one that should guide you!